The Fey Family Cousin
by Professor Snaglefoompus
Summary: AU. What if Mia Fey first met her cousin Iris, shortly after the Dahlia Hawthorne trial?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Did Mia know about Iris? Did Mia ever _meet_ Iris? It seems hard to believe that an Ace Attorney like Mia would do such a thorough investigation for her second trial without learning who Phoenix was _really_ dating.

Those questions caused me to write this story where Mia meets Iris, immediately after Dahlia's trial.

It's kind of a shame that we never get to see what the younger Iris is like; the game only shows us Iris, five years later. I think the younger Iris would probably be a bit less guarded with her emotions, compared to her older, more isolated self.

* * *

"That girl who was in court today..." Phoenix told his lawyer. "That wasn't my Dolly. She would never do something like that."

"Er, right..." Mia said. _Was he not paying attention in court, or is he really that clueless? Maybe I heard him wrong._

It was somewhat hard to hear Phoenix over the chatter of the crowd leaving the courthouse. Everyone was talking except one girl. Mia caught a glimpse of the silent girl over Phoenix's shoulder, and she gasped. The girl looked just like Dahlia! Sure, her hair was the wrong color, but...

"You really opened up my eyes today," Phoenix continued. "I've been taking some law courses on the side at Ivy University. Maybe I should switch majors. Legal work is very—"

"I have to go, Mr. Wright!" Mia said suddenly, before chasing off after this mysterious girl. Was this one of Dahlia's tricks? Could it be this nightmare wasn't over yet?

The girl didn't seem to realize she was being followed. Mia easily caught up with her and tapped her on the shoulder. "Excuse me?"

The girl turned around and squeaked. "You...you're the defense attorney!"

Mia got a much better look at the girl now. Her first impression was right—this girl looked _exactly_ like Dahlia. And she was at Dahlia's trial? That couldn't be a coincidence. "I am. Who are you?"

"Don't hurt me!" the girl said. "I'm innocent! I had nothing to do with what Dahlia did, I swear! I wasn't even there that day!"

"Are you somehow related to Dahlia?" Mia asked.

"...She's my sister," Iris said.

Mia immediately dismissed this statement. Dahlia's sister? Dahlia killed her sister Valerie a year ago. She had no other sisters.

"I see...In that case, I think we need to talk," Mia said.

"Please! I didn't do anything wrong!"

"If you haven't done anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about, Miss...?"

"I'm sorry," the girl said. "I didn't tell you my name. I'm Iris."

"I'm Mia Fey."

"Fey? That's my moth—never mind."

"Your moth...mother? Your mother's what?"

"Oh," Iris moaned. Why did she have to mention her mother? This is why Dahlia always said she was stupid. She made dumb mistakes.

"It doesn't matter, really," Iris said. "I never met my mother."

"What does _she_ have to do with me?" Mia asked, pressing for more details.

"She doesn't! I mean, nothing! She has nothing to do with you!"

"If you won't tell the truth, I can have one of the guards here arrest you," Mia said threateningly.

"No! Please! I can't! I...I don't want to cause problems."

"Then tell me everything you know," Mia said. "Now."

"I can't! Dahlia will...she'll...hurt me..."

Iris was crying. Mia felt a twinge of regret for pushing this strange girl so hard. _Maybe I should go easy on her..._

_No, I can't go easy on her. This Dahlia nightmare has to stop __now__._

"You are coming with me, right now," Mia ordered, grabbing Iris' hand and dragging her to one of the interrogation rooms. Mia didn't like going to the interrogation rooms ever since what happened to Diego, but there was nowhere else to talk privately.

"So," Mia said, sitting down in one of the chairs. "Tell me everything about your relation to Dahlia Hawthorne."

"Like I said, my name is Iris. Dahlia is my twin sister."

"Impossible. There was an incident involving her sister a year ago. Your name didn't come up in that trial."

"I was abandoned at a young age," Iris said. "Mr. Hawthorne thought three girls was one too many, so he left me to be raised at Hazakura Temple."

"Hazakura Temple? The training place in the mountains?"

"You know it?"

Mia fingered the Magatama she wore around her neck. "I'm familiar with spirit channeling."

Iris gasped. "Are you...one of _the_ Feys? The ones that are in charge of Kurain?"

"Yes," Mia said. "Not anymore, but yes."

"Then you _are_ related to—oops."

"Oops? Related to who? Related to..."

"No one," Iris cringed. Dahlia was going to be so, _so_ mad at her when she found out about this. Dahlia always seemed to be mad at her for some reason or another.

Mia's magatama glowed, and she could see the Psyche Locks appear over Iris.

"You know what it means when a Magatama glows, right?" Mia asked.

"I know...psyche locks," Iris muttered. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. Dahlia won't let me."

"You saw the trial today, didn't you?" Mia asked. "Dahlia is gone now. She can't hurt you anymore."

Iris looked into the face of the young lawyer. If that was true...if Dahlia _was_ gone...the psyche lock shattered.

"Have you ever heard of someone called Morgan Fey?" Iris asked.

"She's my aunt," Mia said. "Do you know her?"

"She's my mother," Iris said.

Mia felt like she had been shot. "Whaaaaaat?"

"Dahlia and I don't have any spiritual power," Iris continued. "As soon as she found out, Mom got divorced and left Dad to take care of us."

"You...you're..._I'm related to Dahlia Hawthorne?_" Mia asked.

"I guess Mom's been covering it up in Kurain," Iris said. "She doesn't want people to know we exist."

Mia took a deep breath. She had heard something about her aunt's past marriage—right after Morgan's divorce with Pearl's father, rumors about her were flying throughout the village—but she never thought it was true.

"So you're...my cousin."

"Dahlia said not to tell anyone," Iris said. "I would have tried to meet the Feys earlier but...it's obvious they don't want me...Dahlia's the only _real_ family I have, anyway."

_We have two new cousins. Maya's going to be thrilled,_ Mia thought. "Why did you come to the trial today? Because you knew your sister was testifying?"

"I wanted to see Feenie. I was worried he...well..."

The conflict between Phoenix and Dahlia was the toughest thing Iris had ever dealt with. Having to decide between her boyfriend and her sister... It was a good thing the Judge made the decision for her. Iris didn't know if she could have made a choice on her own.

_Why is it that finding out new information only seems to make cases __more __complicated instead of the other way around?_ Mia wondered.

"How do you know Phoenix?"

"I...I can't say," Iris said.

Mia closed her eyes and thought. "If he was going out with your twin sister, then it's only natural you'd know him. Unless..."

Phoenix's words came back to her mind. _The girl who was in court today...That wasn't my Dolly._

"Dahlia never dated Phoenix," Mia realized. "He dated you."

Iris turned pale at having her greatest secret exposed. "That's...ridiculous...I never dated Feenie!"

"Then why do you call him 'Feenie' instead of Phoenix? It's kind of odd that you would use a pet name for him."

"I...I..."

Iris burst into tears.

"I dyed my hair and pretended to be Dahlia," Iris cried. "I couldn't help it! She was going to kill him if I didn't! She said it'd be safer if I got the necklace back, but I...it was my first time away from Hazakura, and everything was so new, and he was _so_ nice, I just...I couldn't!"

"Let me get this straight," Mia said. "You're saying the girl Mr. Wright dated for six months...the girl he is madly in love with...she's not Dahlia Hawthorne, she's _you?_"

"The only time he saw Dahlia was when she gave him the necklace six months ago," Iris said. "And for the past week, after Dahlia and I switched back. The rest of the time, it was me."

"This is unbelievable!" Mia said, and it was true—she did have trouble believing it. "Wait until I tell—"

"You can't tell anyone, please! No one can ever find out!"

"This isn't the sort of thing I should keep hidden," Mia said. "Mr. Wright, for one, is having kittens out there. If he knew—."

"He can't!" Iris begged. "Please, he can't ever find out about me! Don't you see? He loves Dahlia, not Iris!"

"He's heartbroken because his girlfriend tried to kill him _and_ frame him for murder!" Mia argued. "If that's not true, he deserves to know!"

"But if he finds out, he'll hate me forever!" Iris said. "I...I can't let that happen! Please, haven't you ever been in love?"

Mia's glare hardened. "Yes."

"Then you know what it's like!" Iris said. "I can't tell Feenie the truth, I just can't! He'll never forgive me for it!"

Mia frowned. "Okay," she said. "I promise I won't tell anyone about your identity...for now."

* * *

After Mia had time to think things over and digest the events of the tumultuous day, she came to the conclusion that telling no one about Iris was a colossal mistake. Even if Iris was telling the truth and she wasn't involved in Dahlia's murders, it was still massively unfair to Phoenix Wright and all the Feys.

So she made a phone call.

"Hi, Sis!" Maya said. "How did the trial go?"

"Great!" Mia said. "I won!"

"All right!" Maya said. "We have to celebrate! Why don't you...take me out for burgers?"

Mia laughed. "I have a better idea, Maya. Let's do some spirit training at Hazakura Temple. My treat."

"Cool!" Maya said.


	2. Chapter 2

Iris cooked up lunch for herself and Sister Bikini.

"Ah...for once, _I_ don't have to cook the food," Sister Bikini said. "It's good to have you back, Iris. I have a hard time doing everything here by myself."

"By yourself?" Iris asked. "Didn't Dahlia stay here for the past six months?"

"Your sister doesn't help around the temple like you do," Sister Bikini said. "Plus, she spent most of her time in the city instead of here."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Iris said. "But don't worry. Today was the last time I'll ever leave Hazakura."

"The last time, eh? What happened to the handsome boy I've heard so much about? Ho ho ho!"

Iris turned red, and her mind went to the picture of her and Phoenix that was hidden in her dresser.

"Anyway, we have to prepare the VIP guest rooms," Sister Bikini said. "I hope you're ready to work! Ho ho ho!"

"We have VIPs coming?" Iris asked.

"The Feys! Straight from Kurain!"

Iris dropped her fork. The Feys?

_That can't be a coincidence..._

* * *

Sure enough, it wasn't. Maya and Mia Fey, the newest generation of the Fey family, were the ones who had come.

Iris talked to Mia the first chance she got.

"I thought you promised you wouldn't tell anyone about me!" she said.

"Don't worry. I keep my promises," Mia said.

"Then what are you doing here?" Iris asked.

"No, I'm trying to show you that we Feys aren't bad," Mia said. "Maybe you'll change your mind about not joining the family."

"My life is at Hazakura now," Iris said. "I'm never leaving here again, ever. There's no reason for me to become a Fey. Especially since my mother gave me up because she didn't want me."

"My mother left when I was young, too," Mia said. "I know what it's like to feel unwanted by your parents."

"It's very kind of you to be concerned for me," Iris said. "But you don't have to worry. I'm out of the city now. Things are finally back to normal for me."

"In other words, your relationship with Phoenix didn't work out, so you decided to become a nun?"

"Well...it didn't happen like _that!_"

"I'm not so sure," Mia said. "And I think you should know Mr. Wright still has faith in you."

"He...he does?"

"The first thing he said to me after the trial was that the person he saw in court wasn't his Dolly. He thinks she's still out there, and he's waiting for her."

"You..." Iris blinked back tears. "It doesn't matter. I'm not good enough for somebody like him. He's better off without me."

* * *

Shortly afterwards, training began, and Mia didn't get another chance to talk to Iris until mealtime.

"So, Iris, have you ever been to the city?" Mia asked conversationally.

"Um..."

"Iris just got back from finishing a semester at Ivy University," Sister Bikini said.

"What'd you study?" Maya asked.

"Art," Iris said. It was the easiest subject to take for someone without much knowledge of the outside world. That, and it allowed her to spend more time with her Feenie.

"I work in the city," Mia said.

"Mia just won her first case as a lawyer!" Maya said.

"Oh, really?" Sister Bikini asked. "What was the case about?"

"It was a college murder case," Mia said. "Someone was falsely accused of killing his girlfriend's former boyfriend."

"Sounds like a soap opera," Sister Bikini said. "Ho ho ho!"

"In fact, the murder took place at Ivy University," Mia said. "You must know the defendant. Phoenix Wright? Kid with spiky hair?"

Iris gulped. "I...I...never heard of him."

"Really? He's an art major, just like you. I would think—"

"I have to go clean the garden!" Iris said quickly, getting up and leaving the room before the conversation could go any further.

"That was weird," Maya noted. "So what happened with the case?"

Mia frowned. She had been hoping to get Iris to talk for a while, not for just two sentences. "I managed to get Phoenix found innocent, but I'm afraid he's still upset..."

* * *

That night, Iris reached into her drawer and took out the picture of her and Phoenix. The two of them were smiling happily at the camera.

_Feenie was so happy with me..._

_No, not me. With Dolly. Never me. No one could be happy with me._

Iris took the picture and ripped it in half.

"Miss Iris?" Maya asked.

Iris jumped. She hadn't noticed Maya standing behind her.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering where the bathroom is," Maya said. "You know, in case I have to _go_ during the night."

"I can show you where it is," Iris said. "It's near the front of the temple."

"You look upset," Maya noticed.

"I'm fine. Really."

Maya's eyes looked down to the piece of the picture lying on the floor.

"Who's that?" Maya asked, with her typical bluntness.

"Feenie," Iris said. "My ex-boyfriend."

"You two broke up? What happened?"

"It's complicated," Iris said. "But he doesn't love me. He loves my sister."

"Your sister stole your boyfriend? That's terrible!"

Iris laughed. "No, it's not like that. It's just...he's not my boyfriend anymore. That's all."

"You're lucky," Maya said. "I've never had a boyfriend. Everyone says I'm too young for that kind of stuff."

"I _am_ lucky to have known him," Iris agreed. "Feenie is one of a kind...I'll miss him for a while, but I'm sure I'll get over it soon."

Maya bent down to pick up the photograph, and as soon as she got a good look at it, things snapped into place for her.

"Oh my God!" she said, her jaw dropping in shock. "You went out with my sister's client!"

"!"

"This is him, isn't it? Mia said he had pointy hair and went to the same university you did!"

Iris sighed. Why did the Feys have to be so smart? "Yes. You're right. My boyfriend was your sister's client."

"Then you're the girl who broke his heart!"

"Excuse me?"

"Mia told us all about it after you left eating." _Oh, so that's why she left so suddenly!_ Maya realized. "She said his girlfriend abandoned him when he was arrested!"

"It's not like that!"

"He was innocent! Why would you—?"

"I didn't _abandon_ him!" Iris said, crying. "I wish your sister would leave me alone! My life is none of her business!'

Maya felt bad for upsetting Iris. "Aw, gee, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude, but...he's innocent! You don't have to avoid him! He's not a murderer!"

"I'm not avoiding him because he was on trial," Iris said. "It's more complicated than that."

Maya sat down. "So tell me about it!"

"My apologies, Mystic Maya," Iris said. "But I just met you today. I wouldn't feel comfortable telling you my life story."

"That's no fun!" Maya said. "Come on, tell me! I can keep a secret! Honest!"

"That's what Mia said..." Iris said to herself.

"Huh? Mia? You told secrets to my sister? What about?" Maya asked. "I wanna know!"

Iris looked at the enthusiastic young girl in front of her and sighed. Apparently, pushiness was _also_ a trait that ran in the Fey family.

"I'm sorry. It's private."

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me," Maya said. "I'm sure I can bully it out of my sister."

"Oh!" Iris said.

"Or maybe I'll ask the spiky-haired guy."

"No!" Iris cried. "Don't!"

Maya laughed. "Ah, I was just kidding! Come on, you can tell me what's going on! I don't know any of these people, so it doesn't matter if you tell me! _Pleeeeease?_"

Iris was normally a very polite person, but she was understandably upset. "Miss Maya," Iris said. "Please leave me alone and mind your own business."

"But—!"

"No buts!" Iris said, leaving the room. It wasn't until thirty minutes and many tears later that Iris returned.


	3. Chapter 3

Mia and Maya both made further attempts to talk to Iris during the training session, but Iris had firmly decided not to have anything to do with either of them. They were part of the bad, outside world that Iris had sworn never to enter again.

Iris' self-imposed isolation was intruded upon the next day, when an angry woman with large hair burst into Hazakura, leading a small child.

"You there," the woman ordered. "Where is Maya Fey?"

"She's doing the special training course right now," Iris said. "It's inside the temple on the other side of the bridge."

"She's too young to be taking a course like that!" the woman snapped. "She should be in the beginner's course!"

Iris gasped involuntarily as she recognized the Master of Kurain pendant hanging from the woman's neck.

"You're Morgan Fey..." Iris whispered.

"Yes, that's right, and I have better things to do than look after my idiotic nieces! When I see Mia, she's going to be—"

"Don't you remember me?"

Morgan cleared her throat and gave Iris an angry look—Morgan didn't like being interrupted. "How can I _remember_ you when I just met you?" she snapped. "If Maya's on the other side of the bridge, I had best collect her. Come along, Pearl."

"I don't wanna," the little child said. "It's cold!"

"Don't argue," Morgan ordered.

"No!"

Morgan sighed. "Fine. Stay here for five minutes." She pointed directly at Iris. "You. Watch my daughter while I collect Maya."

"Daughter?"

"If anything bad happens to her, you _will_ be sorry," Morgan promised. On that sinister note, she left the temple.

Iris blinked at the little girl. _Daughter?_

"Hi!" Pearl said.

"Hello," Iris said. "What's your name?"

"Pearl!" Pearl said proudly.

_I have a little sister? _Iris wondered_._

Iris watched Pearl carefully. She seemed like a happy child, and she couldn't have been older than five. By the time Iris and Dahlia were that age, Morgan had long since abandoned them.

"You must have a lot of spiritual power..." Iris mused. "Your mother must love you very much..."

_Unlike me. She doesn't even recognize me. Everyone hates me because I'm useless_. _The only person who ever liked me was Feenie, and that's because he thought I was somebody else._

"I wish I could be like you," Iris said wistfully. "Maybe then my life could be normal...but probably not."

"Candy?" Pearl asked hopefully.

Iris laughed. "We don't have any candy here, Pearl."

"Aw..." Pearl said. "Sing a song?"

"I'm not a good singer," Iris said.

"Sing!" Pearl commanded. "Mystic Ami Song!"

"I don't know that one," Iris said.

"Mystic Ami look for spirits..." Pearl sang.

* * *

Iris and Pearl's sing-along ended when a group of quarreling spirit mediums entered the temple.

"But Aunt Morgan, Maya's old enough to—"

_"She's fourteen!" _Morgan snapped. "You should know better than to subject her to an adult's training!"

"I'm not a little kid!" Maya protested. "I can handle it!"

"I am extremely disappointed in both of you," Morgan said. "Mia, if you ever try something dangerous like this again, I will revoke Maya's ability to meet with you."

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me," Moran said. "Now come, Pearl. We're going back to Kurain, and Maya is coming with us."

"No!" Maya said.

"Yay, Maya!" Pearl said, running over to hug her cousin.

"I'm here, too, Pearl," Mia said.

"Not for long," Morgan said, taking her daughter's hand. "We're going."

"Bye!" Pearl said, waving to Mia and her new friend as Morgan led her and the still-complaining Maya outside.

Mia gave an intense stare to the retreating group. "That could have gone better," she said to herself.

"You didn't say I had a sister," Iris said quietly.

Mia jumped. "Iris! I...I didn't see you!"

"That's my mother, I take it."

Mia grimaced. That was _not_ the mother/daughter reunion Mia had in mind for her aunt and cousin.

"Please don't judge her by what you just saw," Mia said. "She's...er...upset with me. She gets rather controlling sometimes."

"Pearl seems happy," Iris said. "Happier than...well, happy. How old is she?"

"She's four years old," Mia said.

"She's so delicate…" Iris said. "I always wondered what it'd be like if…never mind."

Iris bowed in Mia's general direction. "I have to go, I…I have to prepare the food for—"

"Would you like to get to know her?" Mia asked.

"!"

"I'm her cousin. I could take you to see her, you know," Mia said. "It's only fair that you get to know your little sister."

"I...I couldn't," Iris said. "I can't leave here, ever again."

"Why not?" Mia asked.

"It's complicated," Iris said.

"Look, I know you had a bad experience with Dahlia, but Pearl could be your _new_ sister," Mia said. "Would you like that?"

Iris almost gagged at that suggestion. Sure, Dahlia was horrible, but Dahlia was Iris' twin. She couldn't just..._replace_ her twin sister. That would be like cutting off a part of herself.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't," Iris said. "It...look, can't you just leave me alone here? Why do you care so much about what happens to me?"

"Because you're family now," Mia said. "Family is important. No one should ever run away and close themselves off from their family members."

"Like Mystic Misty did?" Iris asked.

Mia turned red. "My mother has nothing to do with—"

"I'm sorry!" Iris said quickly. "I didn't mean it like that! I just mean, it _is_ normal for the Kurain Master to shut herself off from her family. So really, it's not that unusual that my mother pretends I don't exist."

"That still doesn't make it right," Mia said.

"That's just the way things are."

* * *

Mia was working in her office—okay, she was really playing Tetris on the computer, but she was _supposed_ to be working—when the intercom buzzed to life.

"Miss Fey, your cousin is here to see you," the secretary said.

"Augh!" Mia said, falling out of her chair. "I—what—who? Great, you made me lose!"

"Miss Fey?"

Mia hit the intercom button. "What is it, Charlie?" she demanded.

"Your cousin is here to see you," Charlie said.

"Cousin? I don't have a cous—oh, right, Iris," Mia said. "Send her in."

Shortly afterwards, the door opened and Iris entered. She was dressed in full acolyte garb.

"Hello, Mystic Mia," Iris said.

"Hello, Iris," Mia said. "What brings you here?"

"I want to—I mean, I think it would be best if I went to see my sister after all," Iris said.

_I knew it!_ Mia thought. She smiled. "That's a great idea! I'm sure Pearl and Aunt Morgan would be thrilled to meet—"

"Kurain is a three hour drive away, right?" Iris interrupted.

"Yeah, but it's only two hours away by train," Mia said. "Why?"

"I...need to go away for a while," Iris said. "If Kurain is that far away from Los Angeles, it'd be an ideal place to go to."

"Hold it!" Mia cried. "Why do you need to go away from LA?"

"I...I just need to go away for a while," Iris said. "It'd be better for everyone that way."

"Who is everyone?" Mia asked.

"Everyone," Iris said. "You, Sister Bikini, Dahlia—"

Mia slammed her desk. "You haven't been in contact with Dahlia, have you?"

"I...no...that's none of your business!" Iris said.

"She's evil!" Mia said.

"She's my sister!" Iris shot back. "I can't abandon her!"

Mia took a deep breath. Iris had a point, but Mia still didn't like the idea of anyone seeing Dahlia in prison. "I have to—" she began.

The intercom buzzed to life again. "Miss Fey? A Mr. Phoenix Wright here to see you."

"What the—?" Mia said. She fell out of her chair again.

"Feenie!" Iris said. Her eyes widened. "I can't—I don't—"

"This is perfect!" Mia said. "You need to explain to Mr. Wright about—"

_"Feenie can't see me!"_ Iris said. _"He'll hate me forever!"_

"Send him in!" Mia said, pressing the intercom button.

"I hate you! I hate you!" Iris said. Her eyes flew around the room, looking for a place to hide. Her shaking hands grabbed her hair and started unbraiding it, in an attempt to look _somewhat_ different.

The door opened shortly after that, as Phoenix stepped into the room. "Hello, Miss Fey, I—"

Phoenix's eyes immediately went to Iris, who was trembling with fear. "Dolly!" he said.

Iris gasped, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"Ack! I'm sorry!" Phoenix said. "Don't cry! I didn't mean—I—you just reminded me of someone I know, that's all."

"You—you startled me," Iris said, not looking at Phoenix.

"I'm sorry," Phoenix said. "I didn't want to—Dolly—never mind. Who are you?"

"I'm Iris Fey," Iris said. "Mia's cousin."

"Pleased to meet you, Iris," Phoenix said, shaking her hand. "I'm Phoenix Wright."

As Phoenix shook Iris' hand, he looked more closely at her. He was rather astounded at how much Iris reminded him of Dahlia—if she dyed her hair red, she could almost pass for Dahlia. _How odd,_ he thought.

"Ni-nice to meet you," Iris said.

"Yes, good to see you again, Phoenix," Mia said. "How have you been doing?"

"Not well..." Phoenix said. "After the trial, I...well...it's been rough.

But I guess that's to be expected when the love of your life disappears."

"She tried to kill you, and frame you for murder," Mia said harshly. Mia would always hate Dahlia, because of what Dahlia did to Diego. "You're better off without her."

"I can't stop thinking about her," Phoenix said. "I see her everywhere. Even when—well, even I entered the room just now, I thought she was here."

"That's understandable, but you need to move on," Mia said. "You can't let Dahlia control your life anymore. Right, Iris?"

"Me?" Iris asked. "Oh...um...I'm not sure I know enough about this situation to make any judgments."

"It's...complicated," Phoenix said. "...Really. You probably don't want to hear about it. Let's talk about you, instead. What brings you here?"

"Oh, I'm...um, I'm here to learn about being a lawyer," Iris said.

"Really?" Phoenix asked. "Me too! At least, I hope to be! That's why I came here, Miss Fey. I was hoping you could me figure out if I should give this lawyer thing a shot."

"Lawyer thing," Mia repeated. "Mr. Wright, the first thing you should know is that being a lawyer is serious business. You have to be very mature in order to handle it."

Phoenix nodded. "That's not a problem. My friends all agree I'm the most mature person they know."

_This coming from the man who cried about ten times during Dahlia's trial..._ Mia thought sarcastically. She stood up and took a step towards the window. As she looked out at Los Angeles, a sneaky idea came to her.

Mia turned her head towards the two star-crossed lovers. "I have a busy schedule," she said. "The only way I could accommodate both of you as my apprentices is if you take my legal lessons together."

"That works for me!"Phoenix said.

"Uh..." Iris said.


	4. Chapter 4

The first legal lesson was set for Thursday night, at 6:00 PM. Iris showed up ten minutes early, with a determined look on her face.

_I can do this. I'm going to stick up for myself and tell Mia I'm not going along with her plan_, Iris thought.

She went into Mia's office, and she was surprised to find it empty. Or, at least, it was empty except for a spiky-haired college student.

"Iris!" Phoenix said, his eyes lighting up. "You decided to come early, too? You must be as excited about this as I am!"

"Eek!" Iris said.

"I'm so glad I don't have to go through this alone!" Phoenix said. "I'm...uh, not exactly the best student, so it's good to have some help!"

Iris didn't want to meet Phoenix's eyes, so she looked down. Instead of wearing business casual, like he had been previously, he was wearing his pink heart sweater.

"That...that sweater..." Iris said.

"Oh, um..." Phoenix said, looking slightly embarrassed. "My ex-girlfriend made this sweater for me. I know I should probably throw it out, but...I can't do it."

"Why not?" Iris asked.

"I still miss her a lot," Phoenix sighed. "Dolly was the perfect girlfriend, until she...well, let's just say some bad things happened. Now I'll never see her again."

"I...I'm so sorry," Iris said.

"It's not your fault," Phoenix said. To Iris, it felt like he punched her in the chest. "I...I just don't know what went wrong! We were great together, but then she became, like, a completely different person or something."

Iris wasn't sure how to react. A part of her wanted to cry and hug Phoenix and explain everything, while another part of her wanted to run away as quickly as possible. She reached out a hand, put it on Phoenix's shoulder and gently said, "From what I can tell, you're a strong person. You'll get through this, Fee...nix."

"Yeah, I guess." Phoenix sighed again. "Sorry for dumping all this on you. It's just...you kind of remind me of her, you know? If you dyed your hair..."

"Black is my natural hair color," Iris said, halfway interrupting Phoenix's train of thought. "I don't want to dye it."

"Right. Enough about me," Phoenix said. "What about you? Do you, um, is there some sort of story behind that costume you're wearing?"

"It's a traditional robe for acolytes," Iris said.

"Aco-whats?"

"I have to wear it, for the place I work at," Iris said. "I'm hoping to get a new job somewhere else."

"Makes sense, I guess," Phoenix said. "So...are you saying that you work at some kind of new-age restaurant?"

Iris giggled. "Not exactly. What about you? Do you work at a hair salon?"

"Nah, my hair is naturally spiky," Phoenix said. "I get that question a lot, though."

* * *

Mia purposely showed up late to the meeting, in order to force a conversation between her two apprentices. She was gratified to see that her plan worked perfectly, for when she entered the room at 6:10 PM, Iris and Phoenix were chatting away like old friends. Which, in a sense, they were.

"Iris, Phoenix," Mia said. "Sorry I'm late."

"Ah!" Iris said. "Mia!"

"Miss Fey!" Phoenix said. "We were just about to call you."

"I had a last-minute request from a client," Mia said, which was a half-truth. Her reputation as a lawyer had gotten a minor boost, thanks to the fact that she recently defeated Winston "The Rookie Killer" Payne.

"So, about the legal lessons," Mia said. She dropped some heavy books on her desk. "I thought we could start by going over the different types of law. Civil lawyers are different from—"

"Um...excuse me," Iris but. "But I..."

"Yes?" Mia asked.

Iris took a deep breath. "I came here to tell you that I'm...I'm not going to take lawyer lessons. I...I'm too busy right now."

Phoenix frowned. "You aren't going to be studying with me?"

"I'm sorry," Iris said, lowering her head. "I hate to disappoint you both, but legal studies aren't for me. I'd rather stay at Hazakura."

"You're staying at Hazakura now?" Mia asked. "What happened to your plans to move to Kurain?"

"It turns out I don't have enough money to move anywhere," Iris said. She used to have a bank account with Dahlia, but it was frozen after Dahlia's arrest. Iris wasn't sure when it would open up again.

"Maybe Maya can help you find a place," Mia suggested.

"Maybe," Iris agreed. "In any case, I should leave now. Bye."

"Hm. Well, I'll still let you know if anything comes up about Kurain," Mia said.

"Goodbye, Iris," Phoenix said. "I...it was nice talking to you."

"You, too, Phoenix," Iris said.

"Can I—say—" Phoenix began to say, then he shook his head. "Never mind."

"What is it?" Iris asked.

Phoenix's eyebrows scrunched together, in the way they always did when he was sad or thinking hard. "If you're busy, you should go," he said at last. He turned away from Iris, to face Mia and the law books.

"Wait!" Iris said.

Phoenix and Mia both looked at Iris questioningly.

"I...I don't have any plans this evening," she said. "I mean...I _could_ stay for the lesson, even if I'm not going to become a lawyer...right?"

Phoenix's face lit up.

* * *

Phoenix sang, as he picked up the clothes that were lying on the floor.

_I can see the sun,  
Though we're out in the rain,  
When I'm with you...  
_

_Snow is on the ground,_  
_But the leaves are on the trees,_  
_When I'm with you..._

"Dude, are you...singing?" asked Larry Butz, Phoenix's erstwhile college roommate.

"Uh huh!" Phoenix said, as he threw a shirt onto the laundry pile.

"But earlier today, you were all mopey about being dumped," Larry said. "Oh! Did she take you back?"

"No, Dolly still refuses to see me..." Phoenix said. "But I met a new girl who's just like her!"

"You what?" Larry asked.

"Her name is Iris! She's nice and sweet, and she even looks a lot like Dolly!"

"Kinda creepy, but cool," Larry Butz said. "So? When are you going to see her again?"

"Um...never," Phoenix said. "She dropped out of the class we were taking together."

"Duuuuude!" Larry said. "You let this chick get away without getting her phone number first?"

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" Phoenix asked. "Say, 'Hey, you remind me of my psycho ex-girlfriend who tried to kill me! Let's go out sometime!'?"

"Nah, that pick-up line doesn't work," Larry said. "I tried it, once. At least tell me you got her email!"

"No," Phoenix said.

"Um...well, what's her last name?" Larry said. "We can try looking her up."

"I don't know her last name," Phoenix said.

"...You are really bad when it comes to getting chicks, dude," Larry said.

* * *

The next day, Iris hummed a little tune as she swept the hall.

"Glad to see you're happy again," Sister Bikini commented. "I take it your trip to the city went well?"

"Oh, yes, Sister," Iris said. "I managed to get everything sorted out. Now everyone knows that I'm staying here in Hazakura."

"Hm...is that so?" Sister Bikini asked.

"Yes, this is where I belong," Iris said. She smiled. The night in Mia's office had been more wonderful than she expected. Spending an hour or so with Phoenix...it was almost like the happy times when they were dating.

_He's going to be okay,_ Iris thought. _Despite everything that happened, he's still happy._

Iris wasn't quite sure how to explain it. Knowing that she hadn't ruined Phoenix's life forever was a humongous relief. And if he could move on after Dahlia, Iris could move on, too.

"I'm glad you worked things out," Sister Bikini said. "Last week, you were preoccupied and moody."

"I apologize," Iris said, bowing her head. "I was worried about my problems, so I avoided everyone. It was rude of me."

"No need to apologize," Sister Bikini said. "As long as things are good now, that's what's important."

"Mmmhmmm," Iris said, sweeping some more. Her life was back in order, and nothing could disturb it.

"Anyway, I came here to tell you that you got a phone call from a Maya Fey," Sister Bikini said. "She said there was an emergency with her pearls. I don't know what she was talking about, but she wants you to visit her immediately."

Iris dropped her broom.

* * *

Three hours later, Iris arrived at Kurain Village. She wasn't sure what to expect. On the train ride there, her mind had conjured up all sorts of visions of fires, death and broken buildings. However, Kurain looked completely normal.

Maya was waiting for her. "Hello Cousin Sister Iris!" Maya said. "Wow, your name is a mouthful. I'm just going to call you 'Clarissa'."

"Clarissa?" Iris asked.

"It's a good nickname for 'Iris'!" Maya insisted.

"Um...usually nicknames make a name shorter, not longer..." Iris said.

"Clarissa is a good name!" Maya said. "Besides, aren't we supposed to be working undercover? Like spies!"

"I...I wouldn't know," Iris said. "But I came here as son as I got your message. You said there was an emergency with Pearl?"

"Yeah!" Maya said. "She needs an emergency baby-sitter!"

"She _what?_" Iris asked.

Maya nodded. "Aunt Morgan is hiring for a nanny to take care of Pearl, and you'd be perfect for the job! You know, 'cause you two are sisters!"

"We...I've only met her once!" Iris said.

"So what? Undercover spy sisters are still sisters!" Maya said.

Iris considered it for a moment. This had "BAD IDEA" written all over it, but she _did_ come all the way to Kurain, and seeing her little sister again _would_ be nice...

"Okay," Iris said. "Let's go."

* * *

There were three applicants for the position, other than Iris. They were forced to wait outside in Winding Way, while Morgan held interviews inside. When Iris' turn came up, Maya went with her.

Iris was secretly glad for her cousin's support. Morgan Fey was an intimidating woman to deal with; the fact that she was secretly Iris' mother only made the situation more stressful. Morgan, Dahlia, Mia...compared to the other women, Iris sometimes felt like the weakest member of the entire Fey family.

"Mystic Maya," Morgan said. "Why are you here with the applicants?"

"My friend Clarissa here is looking for a job!" Maya said. "When I told her you were hiring for a nanny, she insisted that I help her apply."

"I see," Morgan said. "So your name is Clarissa...?"

"Wright," Maya said. "Clarissa Wright."

Iris let out a soft moan at this. Clearly, Maya had been talking with her older sister.

Morgan wrote this down. "Do you have any experience taking care of small children?" she asked.

"Um...not really," Iris said.

"Have you worked as a nanny in the past?"

"No, ma'am."

"Then what qualifies you for this position?" Morgan asked dryly.

"She's a hard worker, and a fast learner, and—"

"Mystic Maya, you are not the woman being interviewed today," Morgan said. "I understand that you want to help your friend, but—"

"Hazakura!" Iris blurted out.

"Excuse me?" Morgan asked.

"I spent the last four summers working at Hazakura Temple," Iris said. She paused for a half-second. Technically, that wasn't a lie. "I know almost everything there is to know about spirit mediums and Kurain Channeling Technique. I could help teach Mystic Pearl some basic chants and meditation techniques."

"Really," Morgan said. "Then tell me, Clarissa, did you see anything of interest to spirit mediums as you came here?"

"Yes, you have the Sacred Urn of Ami Fey," Iris nodded. "We have a statue of her with a shichishito in Hazakura."

Morgan smiled. One of the previous applicants, who had tried to fake knowledge of the Kurain Channeling Technique, had incorrectly answered that question. "Good. And how great is your spiritual power?"

"I...I do not have much spiritual power," Iris said. "I rate as a two on the Moatna Scale, so Sister Bikini thought it'd be better if I didn't try to learn anything beyond basic skills."

Morgan set down her paper and stared intently at Iris. A dark-haired girl from Hazakura, without any spiritual powers...Could it be?

Morgan scoured her memory. "I remember you now," she said at last. "You were the shrine maiden who watched Pearl for a brief period when I visited last weekend."

"That is correct, Master Morgan," Iris said.

"She seemed to like you, Clarissa," Morgan said. "That is an encouraging sign."

"And she's got a great reference: me!" Maya said, giving her aunt a thumbs-up. "So that means Clarissa gets the job, right?"

Morgan Fey sighed heavily. "I will make my decision later this week, Mystic Maya. Don't you have studying to do?"


	5. Chapter 5

"Please, you have to tell me!" Phoenix begged.

"It's not my place to do that," Mia said.

"But I need to see Iris again!" Phoenix said. "There's a connection between the two of us, I just know it!"

"She asked me not to," Mia said. "I understand why you're upset, but I can't force my cousin to contact you if she doesn't want to."

"At least tell me her last name! You can do _that_ much, can't you?"

"I'm sorry, Phoenix. Iris is...I strongly disagree with the things Iris is doing, but I can't stop her from doing what she wants."

"Things? As in, there's more than one thing she's doing?"

Mia hesitated. "Yes. She's avoiding you, and she's...not avoiding someone else."

* * *

"The criminal is ready to see you now," the officer said.

"Thank you," Iris said, nodding. She went into the visitors' room which the guard opened for her. Waiting for her on the other side of the glass was her identical twin, Dahlia.

"Iris. I was wondering if you'd ever show up," Dahlia said. "...You stopped dyeing your hair."

Iris' hand immediately went to her hair. "I like it better black," she said. "How have you been?"

"Oh, I've had a wonderful time here," Dahlia said sweetly. "The guards are so nice, and the food is free. I couldn't imagine a better place to spend my time!"

"Dahlia..."

Dahlia dropped her sweet, innocent girl act. _"How do you think I've been?!"_ she snapped. "I'm in jail for the rest of my life, and it's all your fault! If you had gotten the locket away from that spiky-haired moron like I told you, none of this would have happened!"

"I couldn't," Iris said. "I told you, I couldn't get it away from him."

"Why, because _you love him? _I told you, there's no such thing as love," Dahlia said.

"I...I think there is," Iris said, looking down.

"That's because you're stupid. You've always been the useless one. _You_ should be sitting here, not me."

"Th-that's not true," Iris said. "Feenie still cares about me! Even after the trial, he—"

_"You've been seeing him after the trial?"_ Dahlia demanded.

"Just twice," Iris said. "But not any more!"

"You're an idiot, you know that? A STUPID IDIOT. Do you know what will happen, if you reveal yourself to him?"

"He...he'll be upset at first, but maybe he'll understand..."

"NO!" Dahlia shouted. "If anyone finds out YOU were ME, you'll get arrested as an accessory for murder! You're lucky I haven't implicated you already!"

"Yes...thank you for that, Sister."

"Thanks, shmanks. You listen to me, Iris. _Do not_ talk to Phoenix Wright again. You'll just get me—and yourself—in more trouble. The last thing I need right now is you screwing up my appeal."

"I...I won't. I promise," Iris said. "That's why I came here. I came to tell you that I'm moving away."

"Good."

Iris gulped. "I...I'll be in Kurain. W-working for Mother."

_"You're moving in with our mother?!"_

"K-kind of. She doesn't know it's me. She thinks my name is Clarissa."

"You lied to our mom, in order to get a job? Heh. Maybe all that time pretending to be me has rubbed off on you."

"No, that's not—I didn't—" Iris said. "I _had _to get this job! I—we have a sister!"

"Pearl."

Iris's eyes widened. "You know about her?"

"Mom's bastard child? Duh. Of course I know."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't need to," Dahlia said. "So Mom had a kid she _didn't_ abandon at birth. Guess third time's the charm for her."

"I-I'm sure it's not like that..."

"Oh, God, don't tell me _you love her_, too? You're such a sap, it's pathetic."

"No!" Iris said. "Do you expect me to hate her? She's just a little child!"

"A child who got everything which was taken away from us," Dahlia said. "But you're right. If there's one person to blame for all this, it's our mother. Don't trust her, whatever you do."

"But she's our mother!"

"From what I hear, she's basically an older version of me, only she never got caught," Dahlia said. "If she finds out who you really are, she won't hesitate to throw you under the bus. Be careful around her."

"I..." Iris smiled. "I'm glad to hear that you're concerned for my safety."

"Don't fool yourself," Dahlia said. "Just because we're twins, it doesn't mean I care about you."

"But I care about you," Iris said. "And part of me still feels bad about everything that happened."

"Then switch places with me."

"What?"

"We've done it before. Let's do it again."

"I-I can't do that!"

"Just until my appeal, and then they'll let you go. Come on. Please?"

"No!" Iris said. "I told you last time, I'm never going to pretend to be you again!"

"Hmmmph. I figured as much." Dahlia shook her head and rose from her seat. "Get out of here if you won't help me. Some sister you are."

"I..."

"You'll see me again, when I get out of here," Dahlia said. "You're the second person I'm going to see."

"S-second? Who's the first?"

Dahlia tilted her head and smiled her fake smile. "Why, my boyfriend, Phoenix Wright, of course. I haven't seen him in _so _long! I miss him!"

"You—you wouldn't!"

"Wouldn't I?" Dahlia asked. "Goodbye, Iris. Enjoy your new life with our traitorous mother...while you can."

* * *

Pearl Fey was an absolutely joy to be around, and not just because she was related to Iris. She was a genuinely nice child with a joy for life and play. Iris couldn't help but wonder what Pearl would be like when she got older.

_I wonder if she'll be more like me or Dahlia..._ Iris thought. _I guess it depends on which one of us is more like Mom._

Iris wasn't sure what to make of Master Morgan. The woman was old-fashioned, overbearing and standoffish, even when dealing with her daughter. Her apparent lack of motherly care was probably the reason why she wanted to hire a nanny in the first place.

_Maybe I just need to give it more time,_ Iris thought. _Once Mother gets to know me better, I can tell her who I really am. It'll be like having a real family..._

After Pearl, Maya Fey was Iris' favorite family member. Maya was refreshingly unreserved about her feelings, and she treated Iris like they were old friends. Iris was glad for the company; working at Kurain, she didn't have a lot of contact with teenagers. Maya quickly introduced her cousin to the world of strange samurai movies.

Iris wasn't sure what to make of Mia. On one hand, Mia was a strong, confident woman who she admired. On the other hand, Mia was responsible for sending Iris' twin to jail, and she seemed overly concerned with Iris and Phoenix Wright. Iris could understand if Mia was just looking out for her apprentice, but the older woman seemed to be taking it a bit too far.

_Maybe there's another reason why Mia is so concerned about Dahlia..._ Iris thought. _It's almost like they have a personal connection, beyond being cousins. I wish she would tell me what it is. She's always asking me about Dahlia and Phoenix, but she never **tells **me anything about them._

Yes, Iris enjoyed her new life at Kurain. Weeks before, Iris had been worried that she would have to spend her entire life, making up for the sins she had committed during the horrible events with with Terry Fawles and Phoenix Wright. But now, Iris felt like she had been given a second chance to start things over again, and this time, she was doing it with the people she loved.

...Just not her Feenie.

Part of her still loved him, but...he could never know the truth of what happened. It was better for Phoenix to love her memory than hate her forever.

Iris sighed. Even in her new life, it sometimes felt like the shadow of Dahlia was still hanging over her. Would Iris ever _truly_ be free from her past?


	6. Chapter 6

"Hello, Mia?"

"Iris! What a pleasure to hear from you!" Mia said. "Phoenix asked about you again."

"Did you tell him I'm sorry that I had to move away?"

"Yes, but he's still upset about it. So, why are you calling?"

"I...I've been wondering for a while if I should tell you this, and...well, Maya said it was important."

"What's wrong?"

"It's about Dahlia. I saw her before I left."

"She agreed to meet with you?" Mia sounded surprised.

"Yes, why?"

"I've been to the detention center twice, and she's refused to see me. I think she's also refused to see Phoenix."

"Oh. I...I wouldn't know anything about that," Iris said.

"What'd she have to say? Something about me?"

"We didn't talk about you at all, actually. It was mostly about us, and...and she said that she's getting an appeal."

"That's standard court procedure," Mia said.

"But...what if she wins the appeal, and they let her out of jail?"

"She won't win. The case against her is much stronger this time. In addition to killing Doug Swallow, she's being tried for the attempted murders of Phoenix Wright and Diego Armando."

"Who?"

"The man who was poisoned at the courthouse seven months ago. ...You don't know him."

"Oh," Iris said. "I...I don't have to attend the trial, do I?"

"Of course not. What makes you say that?"

"Dahlia...Dahlia said she could...what's the lawyer word? Get me arrested for helping her."

"I think the term you're looking for is _implication_. Or _conspiracy_. Or even _accessory to murder_."

"H-how can you say that so calmly?!" Iris gasped.

"Don't worry. If Dahlia tries to pin the blame on you, I can be your defense attorney. I'll even give you the Fey Family discount."

"This—this isn't a joke!"

"I know, I'm sorry," Mia said. "But the truth is, you can't do anything about Dahlia's appeal. I'm going to be there as a witness, and I'll do everything I can to make sure she gets the sentence she deserves. Just trust me."

"O-okay..."

"Besides, even _if_ Dahlia is freed, I'm pretty sure she'll come after me, long before she remembers you."

"But she, um...she said..."

"What is it?"

"She said the first she'd do after leaving jail is visit Phoenix," Iris said. "What if she...I don't know, what if she does something to him in order to get revenge on us? I mean, he's your apprentice, and he's my...um...my friend."

"...I'll make sure to warn him," Mia said seriously. "But you know...I think he'd be more willing to listen to me about Dahlia, if you told him the truth about the last seven months."

"I can't let him know that I'm Iris Fey!" Iris said. "I can't even let anyone _here_ know that!"

Iris was too upset to hear the small gasp, which came from around the corner, where Morgan Fey had been discretely listening in on the phone conversation. Morgan had suspected Mystic Clarissa of having some secret, but this...

_Iris Fey. From Hazakura._ Morgan Fey thought. _Surely she can't be—_

_No. That is impossible._

_But why else would she hide her identity?_

* * *

Morgan Fey went through the unpleasant business of contacting her ex-husband, Mr. Hawthorne. He didn't have anything to say about Iris, but he had _plenty_ to say about Dahlia.

"Robbed me blind and killed my Valerie, she did," he said. "She's your daughter, through and through. I'm glad that [bad word] is in jail now."

After a bit of research, Morgan Fey decided her best strategy would be to pretend she was a caring mother, prevented from seeing her children by an evil father. Her next stop was the prison's detention center.

"So it's true. You came," Dahlia said. "When the guard said my mother was here to see me, I didn't believe it."

"Dahlia," Morgan said. "I came as soon as I heard you were in prison. I've missed you so—"

"Can it," Dahlia said. "I know you don't give a crap about me. You never did."

Morgan paused. "If I don't care about you, then why am I here?"

"My guess is that Iris screwed up somehow, and you came here looking for answers."

"Your sister Iris does not know I am here."

"You probably figured out by now that Iris barely knows anything," Dahlia said curtly. Her perpetual frown lightened a bit, as she examined her mother. "You know, I've seen pictures of you over the years. You look different in person."

"As do you," Morgan said. "You look completely different from the pictures of your trial that were posted online."

"It's the jumpsuit," Dahlia said. "I look hideous in this thing. But you don't care about my fashion issues. Why'd you come here?"

"I wanted to learn more about Iris."

"I knew it. What'd she do?"

"Nothing yet, but I need to make sure that having her around is not a colossal mistake," Morgan said. "What brought her to Kurain? Why is she keeping her identity a secret?"

Dahlia leaned back in her chair and thought for a bit. "Iris is my twin. As much as I hate to admit it, I know more about her than anyone else," Dahlia said at last. "I can answer all your questions, but you have to do something for me first."

"I was hoping you would help me, without any strings attached. What do you want?"

"I want out of here," Dahlia said. "Pay my bail, and I'll help you take care of Iris."

Morgan couldn't help but smirk. "I was under the impression that they don't set bail for convicted criminals on death row."

"I haven't been convicted of murder yet," Dahlia said. "I was implicated for murder, pending a retrial with me as the defendant. There's a huge difference."

"Oh, really? And what's the bail?"

"One million dollars."

"Ha! I don't have that kind of money! Even if I did, I wouldn't waste it on my criminal daughter who I haven't seen in twenty years."

"Your motherly instincts are touching," Dahlia said. "But money isn't an issue for me. Did you hear about the two million dollar diamond that went missing, six years ago?"

"Your father wouldn't shut up about it. So he was telling the truth for once? You have it?"

"It was sold on the black market, through the Cadaverini Family," Dahlia said. "The money is in a safe account. Get it for me, and we'll split it. Half for my bail, and half for you to keep."

"An interesting proposal. But how do you know I won't take the money and run?"

"You _want_ me out of here. I'm the only person who wants to get rid of Mia Fey more than you do. After all, she's next in line to succeed you as Master of Kurain."

"She forfeited that right when she left the village."

"And I'm sure there's _no possible way_ she can use legal trickery to regain her birthright," Dahlia said sarcastically. "Besides, the longer she's here, the more likely she's going to find her mother. And if that happens..."

"I understand that Mia Fey is a potential risk for me. For _us_. She's going to testify at your trial, isn't she?"

"Naturally. Getting rid of her will be to our mutual benefit, Mummy Dearest."

"Very well. How do I get the money?"


	7. Chapter 7

"What do you mean, 'OUT ON BAIL'?" Mia shouted.

"I'm sorry, Pal. That's what the guard said."

"She's a [bad word] murder suspect! There's no way that could happen!"

"Ouch! You're—choking me, Pal!"

"Please let go of the poor detective, Miss Fey," a droll voice sounded. "He has enough problems at it is."

Mia Fey relinquished her grip and looked up to see her least favorite prosecutor, wearing his trademark smirk and hideously outdated clothing. "Miles Edgeworth. I haven't seen you since the Terry Fawles trial."

"Indeed. It is fortunate that you have visited the Prosecutor's Offices, for I have been hoping to speak to you about these matters," Edgeworth said. "I understand you recently reopened the investigation into that case."

"I...what? Where did you get that idea?"

"Your name came up, when I was asked to supply all of my files related to that trial. I presume you had something to do with this."

"Oh," Mia said. "No, that's not it. Remember your witness for the trial?"

"Ah, yes. Dahlia, I believe her name was. A delightful young woman."

"She was a murderer, and you deliberately hid her identity from the court," Mia accused. "Thanks to you, she was free to run wild and commit murder again."

"Hmph. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the only thing running wild here is your imagination. She was found innocent of all charges."

"Only because the trial closed prematurely!" Mia said. "Fortunately for the world, I was finally able to prove Dahlia's guilt last month. Three victims later."

"Your perseverance is admirable. So new legal charges have been filed against Dahlia. That would explain why my files were requested."

"That would be my guess," Mia said.

"I see. Well, thank you for illuminating me, Miss Fey. I will take my leave now. If there is anything I can do to help you, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Get Manfred von Karma on the case."

"Excuse me?"

"Manfred von Karma," Mia said. "I want him as the prosecutor for the State VS Dahlia Hawthorne trial. She's being tried with two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. Surely he can find a way to make one of those charges stick."

"I...I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Phoenix Wright was sitting through a boring lecture in his art history class. The teacher was droning on about the hidden symbolism in a painting that resembled a blurry photograph of an epileptic nightmare.

"And so, by putting the blue paint on top of the red paint, the artist is clearly satirizing the modern political system," the teacher explained, finishing his ten-minute critique of the top centimeter of the painting.

"OBJECTION!" a voice shouted. "The artist clearly just threw paint on the canvas randomly, to obscure his lack of talent!"

The teacher gasped and fell backwards out of his seat. "What the—? Who are you? How dare you interrupt my class?"

Mia Fey smiled from the doorway of the room. "Heh, sorry about that. I couldn't resist," she said. "I'm here for Phoenix Wright. There's been a work emergency."

"Phoenix..."

"I'm here, sir," Phoenix said, grabbing his backpack. "I'll be back as soon as we're done."

Phoenix followed Mia to the hallway and sighed. "Thanks. You got me out of a boring class. So what's up, Chief?"

"I have bad news," Mia said. "Dahlia's been let out on bail."

Phoenix's face lit up. "That's great!"

"No, it's not! She wants to kill you!"

"I told you, that was a misunderstanding," Phoenix said. "The love we had is too deep to be destroyed so easily."

"Phoenix, I'm deadly serious. Your life is in danger. Only yesterday, Dahlia threatened to kill you to get back at Iris."

"Iris? What..." Phoenix began to say, then he stopped. "What does she have to do with Dahlia?"

"...I can't tell you that."

"Why not?"

"Iris made me promise not to. She's my cousin, you know."

"But that's not fair! Iris hasn't—wait, does this have something to do with why she refuses to see me?"

Mia's mouth tightened. Phoenix's ability to make connections would serve him well in his future as a lawyer, but it wasn't helping here. "I can't say. I'm sorry."

"That's okay. I can ask Dahlia when I find her."

"No! Dahlia doesn't—she isn't—RRRRGH! You have to stay away from her!"

"No. I love her," Phoenix said. "And besides, I want some answers, and you're not giving me any."

Mia groaned. She didn't want to do this, but it looked like there was no way to keep Phoenix safe, other than using emotional manipulation. "Look, you...you can ask Iris."

"You're finally going to give me her phone number?"

"Even better. I'm going to see her right now. You can come along, if you want."

"But I have a class after this!"

"Do you want to see Iris or not?"

"I do, but..." Phoenix gulped and weighed his options. On one hand, there was the love of his life, Dahlia Hawthorne, who tried to kill him and refused to see him. On the other hand, there was Iris Fey, the new girl he really liked, but who also refused to see him. Why did every woman refuse to see him? Were they frightened by his hair or something?

"Okay," Phoenix said. "I'll come with you."

* * *

The trip to Kurain passed by, mostly in silence. Mia was busy trying to think of a good escape plan, because Dahlia would almost certainly go to Kurain, the instant she found that Mia and Phoenix were no longer in Los Angeles. Perhaps they could get police protection somehow? It would all depend on Mia's ability to convince Iris and Phoenix that they needed the extra safety.

Phoenix spent the time, trying to sort out his feelings. Publicly, he insisted that he still loved Dahlia; it felt like a betrayal to say anything else. But the past month had been difficult for him. The trial with Dahlia was bad enough, but the fact that she refused to see him—that she never gave any explanation for the events—was what hurt him the most.

And then, there was Iris. He had only met her twice, in Mia's office, and the two of them had really hit it off. They were so in tune with each other, it was like he had known her for months! He even let himself get lost in a fantasy of starting a relationship with Iris, for two days...until she left.

Finally, there was Mia Fey, or "The Chief" as Phoenix had taken to calling her. In some ways, Phoenix's new boss/mentor was the most mysterious of all. She definitely knew Dahlia from somewhere before, but she never told Phoenix about it. Now she was keeping secrets about Iris' relation to Dahlia, and...why on Earth would Dahlia have anything to do with Iris? Maybe they knew each other, from before Phoenix entered Dahlia's life.

Mia had indicated that Dahlia was mad at Iris somehow, and Phoenix kept concocting wild scenarios, to explain what was happening. None of his guesses came close to the truth.

When they arrived at Kurain, Morgan Fey was there to greet them. Carefully speaking, Mia introduced Phoenix as Clarissa Wright's brother, and she explained that a family emergency had recently occurred.

"So we need to speak with her right away," Mia said. "In private, if possible."

"A family emergency, you say? Why didn't you just call?"

"It's...um, this is the sort of thing we have to discuss face-to-face," Phoenix said, playing along with Mia's story.

"Mystic Clarissa is with my daughter right now," Morgan said. "I do not want to interrupt them."

"Please, Aunt Morgan!" Mia said. "It's very important! We came all the way here, after all."

Morgan paused and looked at her niece disdainfully. "Very well. I suppose I can give you ten minutes to speak with her. Fifteen at most. Follow me."

She took them to the room where Iris was reading a storybook to Pearl. Iris gasped when she saw Phoenix, but she did not want to say anything in the presence of her mother, so she nodded demurely and followed in silence, as Morgan Fey led the group down some hallways and into one of the more remote channeling chambers.

"This room will suffice to give you the privacy you need," Morgan Fey said, smiling slightly. "There will be no one around to overhear you."

"Thank you, Aunt Morgan," Mia said.

"Thank you, Master Morgan," Iris said, bowing.

Morgan left, locking the door behind her as she did so. She paused a moment, until she heard Iris scream. Morgan smiled, at the success of a well-executed plan. Trapping Mia in the same room as Dahlia Hawthorne had been even easier than they expected.


	8. Chapter 8

Inside the room, Dahlia brandished a gun at the other three people. "Sit down, or I'll shoot," she demanded.

Iris sat down immediately. Mia got down into a half-crouch. Phoenix didn't move at all.

"Dolly!" he said. "It's...it's you!"

_I told her to bring Mia to me, _Dahlia thought. _Why are these two idiots here, too? They must have insisted on coming along._

"Don't test me," Dahlia said. "Sit down, or you'll get a bullet through the head."

Phoenix hesitantly sat down. "Dolly, I know you still love me. Please—"

"You. Shut up. NOW." Dahlia ordered. "I hate you, more than you hate critical thinking. Why didn't you die like you were supposed to? Things would have been much simpler that way."

"You never meant to hurt me," Phoenix said. "It was all a misunderstanding. Your heart—"

Dahlia slapped Phoenix with the gun, and he fell to the floor. Mia tried to lunge forward, and she found Dahlia's gun aimed directly at her forehead.

"You're not stopping me that easily," Dahlia said. She stepped backwards and settled herself in a chair, six feet away from the others. "The next person who moves towards me gets a bullet in the skull. "

"What do you want with us?" Mia asked.

"Revenge. Suffering. Death." Dahlia spoke with cold firmness. "But from _you_, I want an explanation. You've spent the last seven months, trying to ruin my life, Mia Fey. Why do you hate me so much?"

"You killed my boyfriend! Why shouldn't I hate the woman who killed the man I loved?"

"Please. He only liked you for your cleavage. Besides, you were out to get me at the Fawles trial, long before you started dating that coffee addict."

"That...that had nothing to do with you," Mia said, clenching her fists. "I was trying to get justice for my client, that's all."

"And it's just a coincidence that your cousin was there?"

"C-cousin?" Phoenix asked. By this time, he had sat back up, rubbing his wounded face.

"It _is_ a coincidence," Mia insisted.

"Funny. I don't believe your lying face for a second."

Iris finally spoke up. "It's true," she said softly. "Mia and I didn't learn about each other, until after Phoenix's trial."

"I'm supposed to believe that you investigated me for six months, and you never figured out we were related?" Dahlia asked. "I mean, I know you still haven't found your mother after all these years, but you can't be _that_ pathetic of an investigator. It's impossible."

"You can insult me all you want, but it won't help you. I'll never cooperate."

"Your life is going to end very soon, dear cousin. Why not tell me what I want to know?"

"You won't get away with this," Mia said. "The instant the police find out I'm dead, you'll be the prime suspect."

"Not in this case. I've set up a convenient alibi for myself in LA. By the time the police finish here, they'll be convinced Iris did it."

"Me?" Iris asked. "But I would never—"

"Think about it, Mia. What will the police believe? Iris got a job here in Kurain, under a fake name, just so she could get closer to your family. She wanted revenge, because you got her sister arrested."

"Iris has a sister?" Phoenix asked.

Dahlia groaned. "We're twins, you idiot. What did I tell you about shutting up?!"

"Tw-twins? But...that means..."

"Phoenix I couldn't tell you because—"

"This is impossible!" Phoenix said, looking back and forth between Iris and Dahlia. "The two of you can't be—not unless—_you're the real Dolly!"_

Tears filled Iris' eyes. "Please don't hate me."

"I don't believe it!" Phoenix said. "You've been lying to me this whole time?"

"I wanted to protect you! Dahlia was willing to kill you to get the necklace!"

"But—but I l-love Dolly..."

***Blam!***

Dahlia's gun fired, and Mia fell forward, a splurge of blood appearing on her chest. She hit the ground with a sickening thud, and she cried out in pain.

"I hate mushy talk," Dahlia said.

* * *

Outside, Maya gasped. "That was a gunshot!" she said.

Earlier, Maya thought she had seen her older sister and aunt, walking together with Iris and a spiky-haired man who looked vaguely familiar. Maya discreetly followed after them, using the skills she had learned from watching _Spy Ninja Samurai: Pirate Zombie Battle: The Movie 2_. It was very strange that they were going to such an out-of-the-way place, without stopping by to say hello first.

Maya quickly tried the doorknob, but the door was locked from the inside, and she didn't have a key. Going back to her knowledge of samurai movies, Maya quickly formulated a foolproof plan. She used a samurai kick on the locked door, breaking it down, so it landed on top of the villain with the gun and killed him instantly.

Sadly, things did not go according to Maya's plan. Her kick only rattled the heavy door.

"Ow ow ow!" Maya cried, holding her aching foot.

"Who's there?!" a voice from inside shouted.

"Help!" another voice screamed.

Maya tried to make her voice sound deeper. "This is the police! Open up!"

There was a pause, and finally, the voice said, "Go away, Maya."

Maya frowned. Apparently, she had upset her sister. She turned to leave and—

_Wait! That's not Mia's voice! And it's not Iris's either!_

"Who are you?" Maya demanded. "I saw two women enter the room, and you're neither of them!"

There was another, longer pause before the door opened and a bullet escaped.

* * *

Inside the room, Mia Fey pushed her wounded body off of the floor. But it wasn't her body anymore.

"You...you killed me, Dahlia," she said.

"Valerie?" Dahlia asked.

Her hair still looked like Mia's, but otherwise, it was Valerie Hawthorne, the half-sister that Dahlia had lived with for most of her life. Together, the two of them planned to fake Dahlia's death in order to get an expensive diamond away from their father. Though their relationship was usually rocky, everything had gone well for the half-sisters until Terry Fawles escaped from police custody.

"You can't escape justice," Valerie said. "My fellow police officers will finally catch you this time."

"This is a trick. The summoning technique!"

"What are you going to do? Shoot me? I'm already dead."

Dahlia searched her memory for information on how to stop a summoning, but it was one part of her family history she had neglected. She cursed loudly. Maya at the door, Valerie in the room—this was the last thing Dahlia needed right now!

Meanwhile, Iris was slowly inching towards the door, hoping to get away while Dahlia was distracted by Maya, then by Valerie. She managed to push the the lock from the closed position to the open position, but the door made a sound as it opened. Dahlia quickly glanced at the door and fired. The bullet missed Iris, who immediately collapsed on the ground anyway, and it flew past Maya who screamed something along the lines of "there are no guns in samurai movies!".

Valerie leaped forward and tackled Dahlia. The wound in her chest was less of a hindrance than you'd expect, partially because Valerie had gone so long without a body that she was no longer used to feeling bodily sensations. That and Mia's body was full of adrenaline as a result of the situation.

During her training as a policewoman, Valerie had been taught how to handle (and in some cases, disarm) a hostile. She put those skills to use as she attacked Dahlia. They struggled over the gun for a few seconds, before it was thrown aside. Valerie and Dahlia traded blows, until Dahlia landed a heavy punch to Valerie's already-wounded chest. The policewoman fell to the ground, hard.

Dahlia moved to where the gun had been thrown, but she found it in the hands of Phoenix Wright.

"D-don't move," Phoenix said, pointing the gun at her. "Or I'll shoot."

"But Feenie, you can't hurt me!" Dahlia said in a sweet voice.

"Y-you're not my D-Dolly!" Phoenix said. "You're a murderer! You have to be stopped!"

Grimacing, Phoenix aimed the gun at Dahlia's leg, closed his eyes and tightened his fingers. Everything was silent for a few seconds, until Phoenix reopened his eyes and saw nothing happened.

"Um...how do you shoot a gun?" Phoenix asked.

Dahlia lunged forward, but she was tackled by Maya Fey. The two of them started hitting each other, screaming and swearing. Meanwhile, Phoenix ran outside with the gun, screaming for help. By this time, Iris too had run off to get help. She hadn't been at Kurain for a full month yet, but she was still able to find the nearest group of spirit mediums and convince them to follow her. Dahlia was good, but she wasn't able to fight her way past ten spirit mediums at once.


End file.
